Contents

The Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) survey is funded by Natural England, with support from Defra and the Forestry Commission.

The survey collects information about the ways that people engage with the natural environment such as visiting the countryside, enjoying green spaces in towns and cities, watching wildlife and volunteering to help protect the natural environment.

The data collected about how people use the natural environment, includes the:

type of destination

duration

mode of transport

distance travelled

expenditure

main activities

motivations

barriers to visiting

The comparability table explains how MENE compares with other outdoor recreation, sport, leisure and tourism and arts, culture and heritage surveys.

Survey method

Fieldwork started in March 2009 with around 800 respondents interviewed every week across England using an in-home interview format. Every year at least 45,000 interviews are undertaken using the questionnaire script and questionnaire frequency table.

Additional information is available in the MENE web page on Natural England’s website archive.

Results, publications and data

Reports for the results of the MENE survey are available to view using the links at the bottom of this page.

MENE survey data

The MENE online cross-tabulation viewer provides access to all survey data. Using this tool, the survey data can be cross-tabulated to pre-analyse the data by the required weights.

Raw data

The complete datasets and metadata from the first 5 years of survey fieldwork are available from Natural England’s publication catalogue. These files were updated in December 2015 and also include additional weights and guidance notes for use with upper-tier local authority level analysis.

Pre-release access list

The pre-release access order 2008 restricts who can see official statistics before they’re published. There’s a strict 24 hour period where details of the statistics can’t be disclosed before they’re published. The pre-release list (from 15 March 2016) consists of:

Defra ministers and special advisers:

Secretary of State

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for natural environment and science

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for water, forestry, rural affairs and resource management

special advisers x 2

Defra officers:

permanent secretary

press officers x 2

director for countryside and nature

evidence deputy director

statistician

senior policy adviser landscape, access, planning and forestry

Natural England:

chief executive

chief scientist

chief strategy and reform officer

director – landscape, access and geodiversity

head of communications

press officers x 3

National Statistics

In September 2014, the UK Statistics Authority completed their assessment of MENE and designated the output as National Statistics. Designation means that the UK Statistics Authority are satisfied that Natural England are fulfilling all of its obligations to the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, and are therefore producing these statistics to the highest standard possible.

Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) indicator 1.16 results

Data from the MENE survey on green space use is included in the PHOF indicator 1.16 results. This provides information on the percentage of people using outdoor places for health or exercise reasons.

The baseline period relates to March 2009 to February 2012, while the latest findings from March 2013 to February 2014 have now also been made available. Data is published for England, English regions, and English upper tier local authorities.